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How to Spend 48 Hours in Boston

Boston – a city best known for sports, clam chowder, prestigious universities, that thing where people run crazy long distances, and having food items named after it…

While my time in this flourishing destination was limited, the friendly people and good vibes left me eager to plan a return visit ASAP!

In this blog post, I’m going to share with you how I spent my time in Boston and the things I would most recommend for a weekend getaway to the city.

Massachusetts State House

Where to take a walk in the park & get a breath of fresh air

Boston is a pretty wide-spread city, with many nooks and crannies, and bridges connecting masses of land between winding rivers. If the weather’s right, I recommend taking a stroll through the Boston Public Garden and Boston Commons. This public park is located downtown Boston and is the oldest public park in the USA! Take a ride in a swan boat, pack a picnic, people watch, toss a frisbee, or simply relax – you can never go wrong.

Where to go (window) shopping

Image taken from http://bostoniaproperties.com

Faneuil Hall marketplace: A pedestrian only area of the city, comprised of 3 historic market buildings and a promenade, this quaint spot is great for enjoying street performers, checking out local shops and artisans and, of course, stumbling upon many cafes and restaurants! I happened to be here over St. Patrick’s Day weekend (which is a whole other thing on its own I would recommend!) and this place was absolutely thriving with the Irish pride of the city.

Beacon Hill: Potentially the cutest area of the city, Beacon hill is as charming as it gets – with winding side streets and cobblestone roads lined with Victorian brick row houses and antique lanterns, this place is an Instagrammer’s dream. It is also in this area that you will find many boutique and antique shops to wander through. Here, you can also check out an amazing local Boston designer I stumbled upon during my stay in the city. Allison’s pieces are minimalistic and transformative (meaning each piece can be worn multiple ways), and are made from sustainable fabrics, constructed right in New England. Click here to check out the “Paridaez” website. The below photo is taken from Allison’s @Paridaez Instagram account.

Oh yeah, and the incredibly picturesque Acorn Street? That’s also located in Beacon Hill…

Acorn Street, Beacon Hill

Where to grab food & beverage

Wandering over one of Boston’s many bridges

While I didn’t have a ton of time to check out a number of places to eat and drink (next time, more to come), I have a few very specific recommendations I will totally vouch for!

A regional pizza chain in New England, ReginaPizzeria is something truly worth indulging in. Family owned, the original location can be found at 11 ½ Thacher Street in the North End. The place honestly looks straight out of a movie and, fun fact, is actually Boston’s oldest pizzeria! The pizza was fresh (and totally delicious), the staff was incredibly friendly, the service was fantastic – I mean, I really don’t have anything negative to say… so, you should probably just check it out for yourself 😉.

If you’re into beer and looking to taste more than just the local Samuel Adams drafts, I recommend checking out the Meadhall. A pretty standard gastropub at first look, this place had a boomingly wide selection of craft beer and mead. Plus, the food was pretty good too!

If you’re on a tight budget, check out ThePourHouse. I specifically recommend the ‘dippers’ menu where you can order any two or three of their sliders on grilled mini buns, served with a side and their signature dipping sauces. These were so tasty, and the meal was also very filling for under $10 USD.

Where to experience the academic culture of the city

Boston Public Library

Boston has a crazy amount of universities and colleges. Legit, have you ever googled it? Of course, amongst these, there are a few that stand out in particular – Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Boston University to name a few. While you can of course take a stroll through the individual campuses, I recommend making a trip to the Boston Public Library for an overall sense of the prestigious world of academia that pumps through the veins of the city. Boasting stunning architecture, a study hall that could rival Hogwarts, and, what seems like, an endless maze of unique rooms filled with library stacks, cafes and more — you could spend a whole afternoon in this one place alone taking it all in.

And there you have it, my top recommendations for 48 hours in Boston. An amazing city, I truly believe the best way to see it is to get lost in it! That being said, be sure to pin some of these spots on your map, so you don’t miss the chance to experience some of the best the city has to offer 😊.

Have you ever been to Boston, MA before? If so, what were your favourite things about the city?

Until next time, keep it curious!

Lily x

Boston Public LibraryBoston Public Library

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☼ Toronto-based world explorer & content creator
☼ Trained International/Intercultural Communications specialist from the Geert Hofstede Consortium via studies at Vilnius University in Lithuania and IULM University in Milan
☼ An adventure seeker passionate about cultural discovery, storytelling, photography, and responsible travel
☼ Published writer and photographer, outdoors enthusiast, social butterfly on a journey to a more sustainable lifestyle